“When I was pregnant with my first child I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I was very confused, because a lot of the information online was conflicting.

“Even though my gestational diabetes resolved after my pregnancies, I am highly at risk to develop Type 2 Diabetes later in my life and that may likely include my children. So I decided I wanted to learn the correct information and come up with a plan to prevent diabetes in the future. I enrolled to study Dietetics when my second child was eight months old.

“I loved my placement year the most. I already had a background in Molecular Biology and Medical Sciences, and the lecturers and coordinators were really supportive to find me placements that helped me transfer my PhD skills.

“After graduating I launched my own clinic, Rainbow Nutrition and Dietetics, at Maroochydore, with a focus on chronic disease and gut health, weight management, as well as diabetes management. At the moment, I am focused on consultation and nutrition assessment: once we know the problem, we can look at what solutions there are for each person.

“Evidence shows that the diversity of a person’s gut microbiome plays an enormous role in physical and mental health. Eating a diverse range of plant-based sources can help to diversify beneficial gut microbiome, and this can help to preserve your kidney function if you have a kidney disease. This could also be the case with other chronic diseases as well as degenerative diseases.

“I also like food and I like interacting with people and actually helping them, so that is also a good combination to make a dietitian.”